Nokia (N95) mobile phones play nicely with Apple OS X

UPDATE: Nokia now offers a free official utility dubbed Media Transfer which provides support for transferring photos & videos with iPhoto, and music with iTunes. The utility also provides support for application management on your handset.

Having spent my fair share of time with various mobile handsets, I’ve spent a noticeable amount of time and patience in order to get both my cellphone(s) and computer(s) synced and "playing" nicely. "Playing nicely" referring to simple tasks such as syncing iCal events, todo lists, contacts, and notes to more frivolous tasks as syncing music, photos, or video libraries.

The problem that most OS X users will face is the fact that most mobile phones do not include the necessary software and / or drivers required. From my own personal experiences using a Palm Treo 700p, BlackBerry 8703e, and a BlackBerry 8100 (Pearl) getting devices to sync as expected required the help of individual or 3rd party developers rather than official software / drivers provided by manufactures for OS X.

In order to sync my previous devices with OS X, I was unable to turn to the manufacturer or Apple for full support. Rather, I was forced to turn to Mark/Space for any syncing needs. Recognized as the best solution for syncing Windows, Palm, or BlackBerry mobile phones with OS X, Mark/Space is the only solution available for reliable results. Although Mark/Space does offer discounts for cross-grades between different syncing software, the amount of money that I had already spent moving between different devices had me gritting my teeth after moving to the Symbian powered Nokia N95. Fortunately, Nokia supports its users across both – Apple & Windows – platforms.

Nokia users will notice that iSync supports quite a number of devices out of the box – 43 devices as of this article. Rest assured that although the support page does not list all of the newer Eseries & Nseries devices, Nokia provides official iSync downloads which will ensure your devices is supported. Visit the Nokia iSync Software downloads page for additional information and installation instructions.

Once iSync has the appropriate drivers installed for your device (assuming your handset required a supplemental download from Nokia), you can immediately enjoy the the simplicity of iSync to move your calendar items, todo lists (iCal), and Address Book contacts + pictures.

iSync supports both manual and automatic syncing via USB or Bluetooth, as well as added customization of specifying syncing [only] Address Book contacts with phone numbers, not synchronizing events prior to a specific date, or instructing iSync to ignore events older than x days, weeks, or months.

Connecting your Nokia (N95) via USB or Bluetooth

Fortunately, connecting your Nokia device is as simple as using the included USB cable or running the OS X Bluetooth Wizard. Nokia kindly walks users through both setups on its Nokia / Mac page. Users who plan on syncing their device via USB will want to bookmark Nokia’s Initial USB Setup page. Bluetooth users will want to do the same for the Initial Bluetooth Setup and Pairing Your Device With Your Mac. All three tutorials are incredibly easy to follow – thanks to both Nokia and Apple’s thorough documentation and wizard walk-through.

It is important that Bluetooth users authorize their computer permanently in order to eliminate the "Accept connection from [computer name]" prompt each time iSync connects with your device.

Automatically sync your Nokia (N95) mobile phone via Bluetooth

One convenience that I was never able to setup correctly with any of my previous devices – Palm & BlackBerry – was the ability to automatically sync my desktop iCal events, todo items, and contacts via Bluetooth. Blame it on the fact that neither of my previous mobile phones interfaced directly with iSync. Fortunately, after creating a simple AppleScript Automator application, I discovered two methods which support automatic synchronization – an iCal event which triggers the Automatic iSync application, or Home Zone (Blueooth proximity) which triggers a sync when the mobile phone is within Bluetooth range.

Both methods – iCal & Home Zone – require that a) your device has been successfully paired (check the previous Nokia tutorials above), and b) the Automatic iSync Application (below). The 56KB zipped directory includes the free Automatic iSync Application & README. Note that this application is not limited to Nokia handsets. Automatic iSync will support any devices which communicate successfully with iSync – check the supported devices list for mobile phone.

Automatic iSync Automator Application

Scheduled syncs with iCal

My preferred method of syncing events, todo items, and contacts requires both iCal and the Automatic iSync Application. Rather than syncing data automatically whenever the device is within Bluetooth range with Home Zone, an iCal event can be scheduled to run daily, twice a day, or every other day depending on how often you update your handset or desktop. Because I am sure to be at my my desktop computer both as soon as I wake or before heading to bed, I create two sync times – one at 8AM, the second at 7PM. You can create similar triggers by following the steps below.

Open iCal and create a new event titled "Mobile Sync" (or whatever you prefer).

Select "All-day"

Move down to "Repeat" and select "Custom" from the drop down menu. Select "Weekly" as the Frequency and "Every 1 week(s) on:" M-F.

Select the "End" date when your syncs should stop. June if you plan on picking up the iPhone.

Locate "Alarm" and select "Open file". iCal will issue a prompt asking if you would like to apply the trigger to a single event or all repeated events. Select "All". You will now see a new drop down menu underneath "Open file". Select "Other" and specify the location of the Automatic iSync Application.

Underneath "Open file" select "The same day" from the drop down menu and specify a time (8AM).

Once you’ve created your repeated event(s) using the settings above, iCal will trigger the Automatic iSync Application every week day until your specified end date at 8AM. All that is left to do is to ensure that you have your handset within range with Bluetooth enabled at the time specified by your event.

Bluetooth proximity syncs with Home Zone

Home Zone (public beta) is a menu bar application which automatically runs specified action or changes your computer configuration based on the proximity of Bluetooth devices or AirPort base stations. Setup is a little more involved, but the extra features offer far more flexibility and functionality outside of the scope of a simple data sync between a mobile handset and iSync.

Home Zone operates using three configuration options: 1) Zones – defined by one or more Networks or Bluetooth devices, 2) Triggers, and 3) Actions – performed when entering or leaving a zone.

Similar to triggering Automatic iSync with an iCal event, you can instruct Home Zone to do the same whenever your mobile handset is within Bluetooth range.

Under "Zones", add a new zone titled "Mobile Sync". Your Mobile Sync zone should appear with a status of "Not available".

Under "Triggers" create a new trigger selecting "Bluetooth Device" as the "Kind", and then press the ‘Select Bluetooth Device’ button. The OS X Select Bluetooth Device window will appear where your pre-paired device should be listed. Highlight the device and press ‘Select’

Under "Actions", create a new action. In the "Action" preference window, you can select "Enter" or "Leave". For the purpose of syncing, select "Enter".

From the "Action" drop-down menu, select "Open file" and drag the Automatic iSync Application into the drop-zone or select the built-in "Synchronize iSync".

Following the settings above, Home Zone will automatically sync your mobile phone whenever it enters or re-enters Bluetooth range. If Growl is installed on your machine, you will recieve a Growl notification whenever an action is completed. Home Zone can be used for far more than simple syncing including enabling a screensaver password, disabled a screensaver password, pausing iTunes, setting a default printer, etc.

Manual Nokia (N95) mobile phone syncing with Quicksilver

Quicksilver users can sync their Nokia (N95), or any mobile phone via Bluetooth using the Automatic iSync Application and a custom defined trigger. Create a custom trigger which opens the Automatic iSync application following the steps below:

Open Quicksilver Preferences and select "Triggers" from the top menu bar.

Press the plus sign at the bottom of the window and select &quotHotKey".

Drag the Automatic iSync Application into the "Select an item" field and press ‘Save’.

Highlight your new Trigger and select the "Trigger Info" button at the bottom of the window.

In the Info pane, re-title the Trigger if needed and specify your custom "Hot Key". Double-check that Activate "On Press" is selected and close the Quicksilver Preferences window.

Rather than relying on scheduled or proximity syncs via Bluetooth, Quicksilver users can quickly sync their device via USB or Bluetooth with defined Triggers before stepping away from their computer.

Manual photo, music, and video file management

Unfortunately, I have yet to find any OS X applications which provide support for two-way syncing of photos, music, and video files. At this time, the following are the only sure-fire ways of getting theses types of files to and from your mobile phone.

Moving files to and from your device via Bluetooth is easy with the OS X Bluetooth File Browser

Nokia Music Manager – Not as convenient as an iTunes plugin, but Nokia does offer a Music Manager. The Nokia Music Manager provides support for managing the Nokia N91 playlists, importing CDs, and shuffling music to and from your mobile phone and Mac. Here’s hoping for similar support for the rest of the MP3 enabled handsets.

Although much of this article was written to address the needs of Nokia users, the tutorials and syncing options can be applied and used to sync any mobile phones listed on iSync supported devices page. If your device is not listed, check your manufacturers website for official support, or Google for individual developer software and drivers support.

Would official support affect your next mobile phone purchase?

Nokia has yet to provide a comparable application for its Windows PC Suite – which allows Windows users to browse, manage, send, and receive messages, conduct firmware upgrades, or create custom themes – for Apple users. Whether or not a cross platform application will be released is nothing more than a dream. However, it is very clear that Nokia users are not left completely in the dark or forced to pay for additional software in order to enjoy their devices on both platforms. Will other manufacturers follow suit? Will future mobile phones be delivered with both a Windows and OS X support / software discs in the box?

Will your next mobile phone purchase be affected by knowing whether or not the device manufacturer provided official software support for both Windows and OS X? Or have you accepted the idea that paying for privately developed software / drivers is the only way to enjoy your future smartphone? With the upcoming release of Apple’s OS X 10.5 Leopard, will we see more mobile devices supported out of the box? I believe Apple is going to create a truly amazingly seamless desktop / mobile experience with the iPhone & OS X that will surely force manufacturers to develop OS X friendly software to compete. What are your thoughts? [Digg it]

What worked for me was making sure the firmware on the Nokia N95 8GB is the version 11.0 xxxx or whatever it is. Once I had the firmware to version 11, I downloaded the 8GB patch from Nokia and it synced with iCal. Running Leopard on a macbook.

>http://web.mac.com/the_reamer/S60/isync3.html
>
>He have support for the N95 8GB. I just ordered one (3UKP) but it’s one a clock in the >morning in England so i don’t expect an answer until tomorrow. Then we will see if it’s >works![/quote]

And about being one a clock in the morning, he answered me one hour after i Paypal’d and it works!

Funny problem i had with my phone and using it as a bluetooth/usb modem (on my Macbook 2ghz core2 10.5.1). It just wouldn’t connect. I’m in sweden and using the operator “3”. I put in the APN key and user/pass and so on and nothing worked. so in pure desperation i left everything blank (even took away the APN) except the number where i just put “3”… and the bloody thing works.

Dear all,
i have a different challenge here. As you all know, you can define how many weeks in teh past the sync should take place. Unfortunately all calendar entries are deleted from the phone earlier than the 4 weeks for example. I would the sync just to leave the calendar entries, not deleting them (reason: I sync the phone wiht my company calendar via OneBridge. so also all teh entries in my company calendar are deleted).
My question: Where can i manually adjust the time span i want to sync in the past in one of the config files? If I can change it to 50 weeks for example, ecerything would be fine.

hi,
have been reading all the articles, but as i am new to using a mac, am completly lost. its like trying to fit a square peg in a round whole….have bought the mark/space thing to get my phone to sync with my mac but to no avail. i have a palm treo 750, apparently its impossible to sync with mac so now i am looking at a new phone but still not sure which one to get. i wnat something that will sync with entourage but still have full calender and contacts list? any advice???

All you folks struggling with getting your N-95 working with your Mac have demonstrated one thing…

Nokia doesn’t care about Mac owners. Seriously, you need to use the Bluetooth file transfer protocol to sync music? What a piece of junk! Nokia were too damn lazy to write an application to point to the iTunes music library (or any other directory structure) and synch music.

This is unacceptable… it’s not 1997 any more… Macs are not on the outer.

Screw Nokia. They could have easily fixed this situation, but they obviously couldn’t be bothered.

I’ve spent all afternoon trying to get a short video from HD format in Final Cut Pro 6 on to my N95 8GB. Not only, as you’ve mentioned, is there a major problem where Mac users cannot update the phone’s firmware (crucial to run the latest versions of clips from FCP and Quicktime) with H264 and baseline specificities but all the exciting things like fresh experiences (http://europe.nokia.com/link?cid=TEASER_528751) i feel like i’m missing out on…

Thanks but all that comes up is notification that more than 5% of my Mac’s content will be changed. I have managed to change that setting to any percentage, but nothing clicks to let me stop the bit saying it will delete.

I love my Macbook Pro and would not swap it for anything, but having my new N95 I was missing out on alot of things, but I have Parallels running WinXP and I can use win apps to access my phone and can use all the Nokia tools that came with my phone. Try it out, its great!

Why on earth would anyone suggest installing parallels and windows as a “solution” to syncing problems? Would you really want to pay $60+ for Parallels and over $100 for the Windows? Remember, XP is no longer sold anywhere and afaik Vista Basic won’t run as a virtual machine, or was that changed?

Even if I wanted to taint my beautiful Mac with Microsoft bloatware, would I really, REALLY want to waste over $150 on software and lose 10G+ of my hard disk space just to be able to manage my phone? Not in this life. Would you?

I’ve chosen another way and I’m living happily with my iPhone. I’ve used Nokias since 880 and had over 10 different models (and more than one of some of them) but at the moment I’m finding it hard trying to figure out why on earth would I ever want to use a Nokia device again. I’ve got N810i, and it’s nice. I’ve got iPod Touch, and it’s a lot nicer. I’m currently working on a customer’s Nokia N97, and I’m already convinced I’d never want that soap bar for myself. I got it to sync contacts and calendar with this Mac, but still. It’s pain in the ass to use compared to devices with real user interface. Sure it’s easier to use that buzzer as a vibrator easier than an iPod, but if that’s your thing, there are addons to iPod to do that, too.. 😛

I thought I’d add a bit more: You can sync contacts and calendars and connect to internet without requiring different applications to do that. Your Address Book is your way of managing your phone contacts. your iCal is your tool to manage your calendar.

The only reasons for me to use Nokia PC Suite equivalent on Mac would probably be to backup the phone and to maybe manage the SMS messages. Then again, I’m currently using BluePhone Elite, and it’s doing all that and a lot more (for example allowing you to use your MacBook as a speakerphone).

What I don’t like is Nokia’s decision to just ignore the biggest problems on Mac – firmware update and backup. I can live with pretty much all of the rest, but it wouldn’t be that hard for them to actually go and build a simple application to allow us to update the firmware without going to a Nokia Store – which happily erases all of our data. Ahh, but luckily I had backups.. or no, I did not because I don’t have a way to do that! Contacts and Calendar are obviously safe, but that’s about it.

Funny problem i had with my phone and using it as a bluetooth/usb modem (on my Macbook 2ghz core2 10.5.1). It just wouldn’t connect. I’m in sweden and using the operator “3?. I put in the APN key and user/pass and so on and nothing worked. so in pure desperation i left everything blank (even took away the APN) except the number where i just put “3?… and the bloody thing works.